Skid structure for supporting materials



June 28, 1960 R. A. EDsoN ,9 2

- sxm STRUCTURE FOR SUPPORTING MATERIALS Filed April 18. 1958 2Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR fiaazkrfl. [am/v BY Wmxaa/m M WI.

flrmmvz s June 28, 1960 R, A. EDSON 2,942,827

sxm STRUCTURE FOR SUPPORTING MATERIALS Filed April 18. 1958 2 Shee s-Sh2 23 f \V/Z 1 INVEN TOR. ROBERT A 050/v '7 BY (MM ww a w ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent Office Patented June 28, 1960 6 Claims. (Cl.248-420) This invention relates in general toa device for supportingmaterials, such as paper, and more particularly to a type thereofincluding an inexpensive, expendable pallet removably supported upon acollapsible and adjustable base frame. 1

It is common practice to place materials, such as paper or paper boardwhich are being prepared for shipment, upon a low, relatively flatsupport device, such as a skid structure, for ease of handling. Theloaded skid structure is usually placed by means, such as a fork lift,upon a vehicle owned orcbntrolled by the manufacturer and transported tothe loading dock of a shipper, from which it shipped to the ultimateuser. Heretofore, it has been considered advisable, if notnecessary,to'leave the load on the manufacturers support device until ithas reached the final destinatipn." As a rule, the shipper places itsown support device, such as a pallet, under the manufacturers skidstructure while moving the load tov its destination. -Accordingly,inasmuch as the ultimate user generally keeps the manufacturers skidstructure until the load thereon is at least partially used, it hasoften been necessary for the manufacturer to invest a large amount ofmoney in skid structures. 1

When the manufacturer has customers at a considerable distance from itsmanufacturing establishment, the cost of returning the support devicesor skid structures hasbecome another even more serious problem. That is,the manufacturere has the difiicult choice between asking the usertoreturn its skid. structures one at .a time at a fairly high freight costor waiting until the user accumulates a number of skid structuresandthen returns them at the same time. Obviously, the latter.alternative results "in the need for a considerably greater number ofskid structures than would otherwise be required.

2 r duce not only the number of skid structures required, but also thespace requirements for storage.

Accordingly, a principal object of this invention has been the provisionof a skid structure for supporting sheet materials including acollapsible base frame which can be disassociated from the load which itsupports when it reaches the shipping dock and, therefore, can bereturned immediately to the manufacturer without interfering in any waywith the load supported thereby.

' A further object of this invention has been the provision of a skidstructure, as aforesaid, comprised of 'a very inexpensive and expendablepallet supportable upon, and easily removable from, the collapsible baseframe, whichframe is sturdy in structure, adjustable for supporting avariety of different sizes and shapes of pallets and which can be easilyand quickly collapsed and assembled.

.A further object of this invention has been the provision of a skidstructure, as aforesaid, which is pleasing in appearance, which. issimple to operate, which is easy toadjust, which reqnireslittle or nomaintenance, and which substantially overcomes the problems set forthhereinabove.

Otherobjects and purposes of this invention will become apparent topersons familiar with this type of equipment upon reading the followingspecification and examining the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure lis an exploded perspective view of the skid structure embodyingthe invention associating with the load and one form of means foroperating said skid structure.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of said skid structure and the partsassociated therewith as appearing in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view substantially as taken along the line IIIIHof Figure 2 and showing a modified leg structure.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IVIV of Figure 2 withthe base frame removed.

Figure 5 is a sectional view substantially as taken along the line VV ofFigure 1 and including a modification thereof. 7 a. v

For convenience in description, the terms upper,

Flower? and derivatives thereof will have reference to It is not unusualfor the skid structures to become lost,

severely damaged, or misappropriated after they leave the manufacturerscontrol, thereby resulting in a loss which isusually uneconomical torecover. Thus, the present procedures and structures for supportingsheet materials as they are moved from the manufacturer to the ultimateuser have not'been satisfactory and, in fact,

they have constituted a source of considerable loss to the manufacturereven under the most favorableconditions of operation.

In considering these problems, it occurred to me that .many, if notmost, of the above problems could be eliminated if the skid structurecould be easily disconnected from the load at the shipping dock andreturned immediately to the manufacturer by the transportation whichde-. I

afford to provide more expensive skid structures having a greaterflexibility and greater utility, and thereby re- Furthermore, byreducing the numberof skid; structures both used and lost, themanufacturer could then 5 often expendable.

a skid structure embodying the invention and parts associated therewithas appearing in Figures land 2, The

terms inner, outer and derivatives thereof will have reference to thegeometric center of the skid structure and parts associated therewith.

General Description The objects of the invention, including those setforth:

' nism for raising said second pallet. However, it will be recognizedthat other means, such as a conventional fork lift, may be provided foreffecting the same purposes. The first pallet, which is part of the skidstructure, is preferably fabricated from inexpensive materials and isDetailed construction 7 v The skid structure 10 (Figures 1 and 2),herein-selected to illustrate the invention, is comprised of a baseframe 11 upon which the pallet 12 is removably mountql; for the purposeof supporting a load 13, as of sheet maa .7 aeaasar V e f terials. Thebase frame includes a pair of elongated, spaced and substantiallyparallel side members 15 and 16, which are extensible lengthwisethereof. Said side mem bers 15 and 16, which may be substantiallyidentical, are composed of slidably-telescopingside'elements .17:

and '18, and 19 and 29, respectively. The side elements. 7

18 and 24} are elongated and hollow for slidable reception of the endportions 23 and 24 of the side elements 17' and 19, respectively. Theside elements'in each side member 15 and 16 may be provided withtransversely alignable openings 25 into which a pin 26 may be slidahlyreceived for holding the elements said side members .15

the pins 38 are slidably received for holding said cross elements 31,32, 33 and .34 in selected relative positions. Although the sidejmembers15 and .16 are shown as hav ing substantially rectangular crosssections, and although the cross 'members 29 and 30 are illustrated ashaving substantially circular cross sections, it will be recognized thatsuch cross sectional contours are illustrative only and are not intendedto limit the invention.

A pair of legs 4-1 and 42 (Figures 1 and 2), which may be 'andpreferably are substantially identical, are mounted upon the lower sideof each side member 15 and 16 adjacent to the opposite ends thereof. Abumperbar .43 is supported upon one or both ends" of the side members:15 and 16 by means of screws 44 which are slidably received throughopenings 46 in said bar '43 and threadedly received into 'theopenings 47in the ends of said side members. The openings 46 in said bumper bar 43are elongated lengthwise of said bar in order to permit. adjustment ofthe side members 15 and 16 lengthwise of V said bar '43 when the widthofthe base frame 11 is adjusted. V

The pallet 12 includes a top plate 48 upon which the load 13 issupported. A, pair of elongated, parallel sup- .port bars 51 and 52 aremounted upon the lower surface ofthe plate 48 near opposite edgesthereof. The support members 29 and 30 are simultaneously receivableinto said notches in both bars. In this particular embodiment,

and as shown in Figures 2 and'3, the notches 53 and 54 are somewhatdeeper than the maximum diameter of cross members 29 and 30, so that thesupport bars 51 and "52 extend below the lower surfaces of the crosspaper pulp.

and 63a of said leg elements 62 and 63 by means of the bolts 66. Theflanges 62a and 63a, and the arms 65a of the foot element 65 areprovided with a plurality of aligned bolt openings 66a through whichsaid bolts can extend to effect adjustment.

The base frame 11 may be fabricated from metal and/or wood ofappropriate strength, and the pallet 12 may be fabricated fromwoodgmetal or even pressed The top plate 48 of the pallet 12 is pref?erably about the same size as the sheet materials 13 supported thereby.Thus, said sheet materials often tend to provide a certain amount ofself-support, which permits the use of a less rigid pallet 12. On theother hand,

- where the pallet 12 is relatively long and the load provides little orno self-support, it may be desirable to provide not only a rigid pallet,but also intermediate support brackets 67 for the support bars 51 and5-2. As shown in Figure 5, the support bracket 67 is slidably andnonrotatably mounted upon one or both of the side members, such as theside memberIS, and held against accidental lengthwise movement withrespect thereto by a set screw 68. Said bracket 67 has an integral,inwardly extending support arm 69, which is disposedbeneath and snuglyengages the adjacent support bar 51, for example.

. Operation Prior to use of the .skid structure 10, the length and widthof the base frame 11 are adjusted for proper engagement with, :andsupport of, a pallet 12 of a selected size. This is easily accomplishedby removing the pins 26 and 38 from the side members 15 and .16 and thecross members 29 and .30, respectively, and then positioning the variousside elements and cross elements with respect to each other as desiredor required, after which the pins 26 and 38 are returned to theirrespective positions within the pinopenings 25 and 37. When the baseframe 11 is thus properly adjusted, the cross members 29 will bereceived into the notches 53 and 54 in the support bars 51 and 52 onsaid pallet 12 with said support bars respectively adjacent to the sidemembers 15 and '16. Accordingly, and as shown in Figures 2 and 3, a load13 placed upon the pallet 12 will be'supported primarily by that portionof the base frame 11 adjacent to the legs 41 and 42 thereof. That is,thesupport bars 7 bars 51 and 52 are each provided with spaced notches53 and 54 and said notches are located so that the cross 51 and 52,willengage the cross members 29 and 30 close to the side members 15 and 16at points where said side members are supported by the legs Hand 42.This arrangement is highly advantageous :in that it permits the use ofcross members 29 and 30 which may be relatively members 29 and 30' whenthe pallet 12 is supported up'on said cross members 29 and 30.Accordingly, a shipping pallet, which is indicated in broken lines at 57in Figures 1and'2, can be moved upwardly by a'lift device 58 into 1engagement with the supportbars 51 and '52 without endefined by thelower surfaces of the'side members 15- and "16. However, this is only amatter-of choice.

The legs 41 and '42 (Figure 1) may, as shown in. Figure 3, be verticallyadjustable if desired. For exweak between their ends as long :as' theyare strong at their ends and rigidly secured to the si'de'members.

After the skid structure 10, including the pallet 12 and frame "11, isassembled and loaded with materials '13, the

entire skid structure may be moved from one place to another includingonto a truck by means such as .a fork lift (not shown) and thentransported to a shipping dock in a substantiallyconventional 'manner.The lift fork usually engages the lower surface of the base :frame 11 byextending under, and crosswise of, the-side mem-' and its load duringsuch operations.

ample, the leg 41 (Figure 3) may be comprised of a pair of spacedL-shaped elements 62 and 63 which are secured to the sidemembers 15 'or16 by means of'the' screws 64.' A U-shaped'foot element 65 is adjustablysupportedppon the downwardly extending flanges 62a When 'itbecomes'desirable to separate the base frame 11 from the total skidstructure 10, such may "b'elaccomplished by positioning the skidstructure over a'li-ft device 58 (Figures 1 and 2) andplacing means,such as a shipping pallet '57 (Figures 1 and 2), beneaththe crossmembers 29 and 30 and between the side members 15 and16. The platform.590i the lift device 58 is raised until it causes the shipping pallet57to engage the lower Surfaces of the support bars 51 and 52 and thenraise the pallet 12 and the sheet stock 13 supported thereon away fromthe base frame 11. No harm is done if the entire skid structure israised during such operation. The pins 38 are removed from the crossmembers 29 and 30, after which said side members are manually orotherwise engaged and pulled sidewardly away from each other until theelements of the cross members 29 and 30 become fully disconnected. Thebase frame 11 can then be immediately returned to the manufacturer andthe expendable, low-cost pallet 12 will remain upon the shipping pallet57 for transfer to the final user. The shipping pallet is normally theproperty of the shipper and is conventionally used regardless of thetype of skid structure provided by the manufacturer.

Under circumstances where the load 13 is comprised of relatively stiffand self-supporting materials, such as paperboard, the top plate 48serves primarily to hold the support bars 51 and 52 with respect to eachother and does not support any material load. In such case, the

' top plate may be fabricated from relatively flimsy material, such aspressed paper pulp, and the support bars will carry the load.

Although a particular preferred embodiment of the invention has beendisclosed above in detail for illustrative purposes, it will beunderstood that variations or modifications of such disclosure, whichlie within the scope of the appended claims, are fully contemplated.

I claim:

1. A device for supporting sheet materials, comprising: a rectangularcollapsible base frame having a pair of elongated, substantiallyparallel side members and a pair of spaced, elongated and substantiallyparallel cross members, each cross member being composed of a pair ofelongated slidably engaged and separable elements, each element beingsecured respectively near one end thereof to one of said side members; aplurality of legs secured to said frame and extending from one sidethereof in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane defined bysaid frame; and a pallet supportable upon and extendable between saidcross members, said pallet having projections near to said cross barsextending in said direction when said pallet is supported upon thediametrically opposite sides of said cross members, whereby said palletcan be supported upon said projections while said side members areseparated from each other.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said side members are extensiblelengthwise thereof and said elements of each cross member aretelescopically engaged.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said pallet includes a substantiallyplanar top plate and a pair of substantially parallel bars secured toone side of said plate near the opposite edges thereof, said bars eachhaving a pair of similarly spaced and transversely aligned notches 6into which said cross members are simultaneously and slidablyreceivable, said notches being of greater depth than the portions ofsaid cross members receivable therein.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein an intermediate support element isadjustably and non-rotatably supported upon each of said side members,said side element having means engageable with the adjacent support baron said pallet for supporting same between said notches therein.

5. In a device for supporting heavy sheet materials, the combinationcomprising: a substantially planar base frame having a pair of spacedand elongated side members and a pair of spaced, parallel and extensiblecross members, each cross member being composed of a pair of separablyengaged elements, and the opposite ends of said cross members beingsecured respectively to said side members; a plurality of legs securedto said base frame and extending in substantially the same directionfrom the lower side of said base frame; a pallet having a substantiallyplanar top member and a plurality of support members secured to one sideof said top member, said support members defining recesses into whichsaid cross members are simultaneously received when said pallet issupported upon the upper side of said base frame, portions of saidsupport members adjacent said recesses being simultaneously engageablefrom said one side of said base frame for raising said pallet withrespect to said base frame, whereby said side members can be moved awayfrom each other and said base frame can be removed from beneath saidpallet.

6; In a device for supporting heavy sheet materials, the combinationcomprising: a substantially rectangular base frame having a pair ofspaced elongated and parallel side members and a pair of spaced,parallel and extensible cross members, each cross member being composedof a pair of separably engaged elements, and the opposite ends of saidcross members being secured respectively to said side members; aplurality of legs secured to said base frame and extending insubstantially the same direction from the lower side of said base frame;a pallet having a top plate supportable upon the upper side of said baseframe and a plurality of support members secured to, and extending from,the lower side of said plate adjacent said cross members, portions ofsaid support members remote from said plate being simultaneouslyengageable from said lower side of said base frame when said pallet issupported thereon for raising said pallet with respect to said baseframe, whereby said side members can be moved away from each other andsaid base frame can be removed from beneath said pallet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,570,757 Bowman et a1. Oct. 9, 1951

